William h



UNITED STATES r ermee.

WILLIAM H. TOWERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INKSTAND.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 80,266, dated October 2, 1860; Ressued June 2, 1863, No. 1,489.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. TOWERS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Inkstands; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l is a top view of the improved ink stand. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same at the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same at the line 3, 4 of F ig. 2. Fig. 4t is a. section through the center of the cover, and a side elevation of the body of the ink stand.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

The nature of this invention consists in providing the main body of the ink stand for containing the ink, with a turning' cover having an opening between its center and periphery, corresponding with an opening in the top of the main body, and lugs on its rim which enter a groove in the periphery of said main body, in such a manner as to enable the said cover to be turned to either uncover the opening in the top of the body, when it is desired 'to use the ink stand, or tightly close the same, somewhat after the manner of a circular register, to prevent the entrance of air or dust when not in use.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The two parts forming the ink standnamely, the body A, and cover B-are circular, and may be made of glass, hard indiarubber, or other suitable material, and the top of the former is perforated with a circular' or other shaped opening C, between its center and periphery, corresponding in size and position in relation to the center and periphery, with an opening D, in the cover B. This latter opening D, has a conical tube around it to guide the pens when dipped.

The cover B, rests upon the top of the body of the ink stand, the upper surface around the opening C, and the periphery, being slightly raised, and ground if desired, so as to cause the lower smooth surface of the cover to press upon the former portion with greater force than at other portions, and when turned over it to form a suiiiciently tight oint to prevent the passage of dust or air. or the escape of ink.

The rim of the cover B, is provided with two lugs E, which project from the inner periphery of the same at points immediately opposite each other, and these lugs enter and move in a horizontal groove F, formed in the periphery of the body A, and serve to press the cover B, upon the top of the body when turned as before stated. Two depressions G, are made immediately opposite each other in the periphery of the body A, which depressions extend from the top of the same into the groove F, and are for the purpose of allowing the lugs to be raised and lowered through them in detaching and attaching the cover from and to the body A.

The openings D, C, in the cover and body are the required size to' admit the entrance of pens without touching, and by turning the cover B, so as to bring the two together, pens can be passed through them and dipped in the surface of the whole body of ink in the stand, and on this account they will not take up any of the impurities and sediment, as is the case where pens are dripped in the ink through tubes extending to near the bottoms of ink reservoirs, or where atmospheric or other pressure is employed to raise the ink in such tubes. By simply turning the cover B, a short distance the opening C, will be entirely and tightly closed, and thus all dust and air will be eXcluded therefrom, and all escape of the ink by evaporation or otherwise will be prevented. This feature renders this improved ink stand a desirable one for travelers, as it can be readily placed in a trunk or valise without danger of leakage. The cover can be readily detached from the body of the ink stand when it is desired to clean t-he same.

Instead of forming the groove F, on the body A, and the lugs on the rim of the cover B, their respective positions may be reversed with like results to those obtained by the before described arrangement of these parts.

Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure which move in said groove, substantially in by Letters Patent, isthe manner and for the purpose herein set Combining with the body or reservoir A, forth. of the ink stand, having a circuler Opening WM. H. TOVERS. 5 C, in its top and a groove F, around its pe- Witnesses:

riphery, a correspondingly perforated turn JAMES G. CooPER ing cover B, having lugs E, on its rim, N. O. GORHAM. 

